Primary tabs

How to Change a Baby Girl's Diaper

Changing a girl’s diaper is not as challenging or dangerous as changing a boy’s diaper. However, changing a girl’s diaper has its own set of challenges that one must be aware of. Not being aware of these challenges can put the baby girl at risk for urinary tract infections and various other problems. By attending to the baby girl’s diaper as soon as it is noticed that it is dirty and by addressing each of the concerns while changing the diaper, you will be better able to prevent any infections that your baby may experience from the diapers.

Baby girls have a different anatomy than baby boys. Girls have all of the urinary system internal and not as well protected as the baby boys have. For this reason, girls are more prone to infection than boys. Girls also require more frequent cleaning than the boys to prevent these infections. Girls also require a certain direction of wiping be used to ensure that the chances of infection are as low as possible.

When a girl’s diaper is found to be dirty, it is best to clean it as soon as possible, which means right away. This is to prevent infection, irritation, and a larger mess from a leaky diaper or from the poop traveling the bottom and back of the baby. When changing the diaper, it is best to hold onto the baby girl’s legs by the feet and ankle so that she can easily be lifted and moved for the diaper change.

Wiping the baby girl’s bottom and private regions is especially important and greater care must be taken with a girl than with a boy. It is best to wipe the baby girl’s bottom away from the genitals. This is because the E. coli that causes infection finds it much easier to grow on the baby girl’s urinary track than it does the boys because her urinary track is warmer, darker, and moister than the boys. It is important that all of the fecal matter is removed from the baby because it can cause infection, irritation and it will smell. It is also important to remove the entire urinary residue from the baby girl as well for the same reason.

When applying the diaper, use as little diaper powder as possible as it can irritate the baby girl’s soft skin. While the use of baby powder and diaper powder is considered good to keep the moister levels down, it can be a hazard if too much is used and it causes an infection. Be sure to apply the diaper firmly but gently on the baby girl so that the diaper does not fall off, but it does not cut off circulation to the baby girl’s growing body. It is very important to check the diaper for proper fittings before releasing the baby for play. Be sure to frequently check the diaper for any messes that may be made in the diaper after the change.